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Why is Gold the Most Valued of the 118 Periodic Table Elements

Of all the 118 elements in the periodic table, there is one that has continually stood out from the rest. Gold, the most precious and beautiful of all metals, has been highly valued throughout mankind’s history and continues to capture the hearts and minds of people all over the world. For thousands of years people have been captivated by this precious yellow metal but why is it so popular and why do people desire it so greatly?

The perfect element

In many ways, gold is the perfect element. It is naturally beautiful, and it doesn’t react with anything, making it perfectly safe to use. It is also solid in form unlike a lot of other elements that are gases or liquids.

Gold coin engraved with periodic table number

Gold is the colour

Gold’s stunning yellow colour makes it unique amongst other elements on the periodic table as it is the only metal to naturally display a colour other than silvery grey or white. Gold’s colour is so unique in fact, that it even has a colour named after it.

It’s a great natural conductor

Gold is a great conductor of heat, light and electricity which is why it is used in everything from computer chips to mobile phones. Gold’s many conductive properties mean it is also very hard to find a substitute metal.

It’s not harmful

Unlike some elements that might combust into flames or react unstably when combined with other elements, gold is almost completely non-reactive. It also doesn’t have any of the other negative traits that affect many elements – it is non-poisonous (You can even eat it without any negative effects) and it is non-radioactive.

Physical properties

Gold is very malleable metal. Not only is it fairly durable, it is soft enough to easily shape into different things. You can also melt gold down relatively easily, unlike other precious metals such as platinum, which makes it easier to extract.

One of the most beneficial properties of gold is that it doesn’t react with oxygen and so doesn’t tarnish in the same way that silver does. This makes gold the perfect metal for use in jewellery, and any other items you want to stay looking shiny and brand new.

Rarity

Gold is a comparatively rare metal which is why it is expensive to buy and so highly sought after. When people first started trading in gold, it was considered a scarcity and therefore had great physical value, which is one of the reasons why it has become such a highly regarded precious metal.

Whilst gold is rare, it is not the rarest of precious metals included in the periodic table. Metals such as platinum and palladium are actually far rarer. In the past, these metals would have been considered too rare to use as a currency which is why gold became the precious metal of choice.

Daniel Fisher

Daniel Fisher formed physical Gold in 2008, after working in the financial industry for 20 years. He spent much of that time working within the new issue fixed income business at a top tier US bank. In this role, he traded a large book of fixed income securities, raised capital for some of the largest government, financial, and corporate institutions in the world and advised the leading global institutional investors. Daniel is CeFA registered and is a member of the Institute of Financial Planning.